Tips for every race on British Champions Day 2023 [Updated 20/10/23]
Champions Day takes place at Ascot on Saturday 21st October
Kyprios, Rue Boissonade and Via Sistina feature in our selections
Expired
Champions Day at Ascot. (Getty)
The ITV Racing team will pitch up at Ascot on Saturday afternoon, as all six races on British Champions Day will be shown live on the main ITV channel. Four fantastic Group One races headline the card, which is bookended by the Long Distance Cup and the ultra-competitive Balmoral Handicap.
We've taken a look through the full card on British Champions Day and picked out our best betting tips.
2023 British Champions Day Card
Time
Track
1:15pm
Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup
(Group 2) 2m
1:50pm
Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes (Group 1) 6f
2:25pm
Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (Group 1) 1m4f
3:05pm
Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Sponsored By Qipco) (Group 1) 1m
3:45pm
Qipco Champion Stakes (British Champions Middle Distance) (Group 1) 1m2f
4:25pm
Balmoral Handicap (Sponsored By Qipco) (Class 2) 1m
Champions Day Tips - Saturday 21st October
Race 1 - Long Distance Cup Tips
Trueshan will bid for his fourth-straight victory in the Long Distance Cup on Saturday and Alan King will be delighted by the state of the ground for his in-form stable star. Coltrane and Sweet William have to be respected to. Yet, if the KYPRIOS (5/4) we saw last season turns up on Champions Day, then the rest will be playing for second place.
Aidan O'Brien's star enjoyed an outstanding campaign in 2022, winning the Ascot Gold Cup, the Goodwood Cup and the Irish St Leger. Kyprios then produced one of the greatest staying performances we've ever seen in the Prix du Cadran, demolishing his rivals by 20 lengths and earning a stunning RPR of 128.
Ryan Moore's mount made a pleasing return from injury in the Irish St Leger last month and I'm sure O'Brien will have his star stayer spot on for this assignment. I'm hoping to see Kyprios stamp his class over this contest.
Race 2 - Champions Sprint Stakes Tips
Kinross seemingly has everything going in his favour and Frankie Dettori's mount warrants his short price at the head of the betting. Personally, I hate backing favourites in sprint races, so I'm taking on the market leader with two fillies.
I backed SWINGALONG (20/1) at the ante-post stage and I still think Karl Burke's filly will represent herself well. I've also had an each-way punt on SENSE OF DUTY (16/1), after seeing William Haggas' sprinter run well on her return to action at Newbury. Read my reasoning behind these selections in my full guide to the 2023 Champions Sprint.
Race 3 - Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes Tips
Again, Frankie Dettori will partner the favourite and Free Wind is sure to run better here than she did in the Arc three weeks ago. Jackie Oh has come in for plenty of support since Aidan O'Brien confirmed her participation. As has Above The Curve, despite her lack of experience over this trip.
When I published my full guide to the Fillies & Mares on Thursday, I put up RUE BOISSONADE (12/1) at 16/1. Mikel Delzangles' raider has shortened in price since then and I'm hoping to see this progressive three-year-old run a huge race on her British debut. Even at 12/1, she represents good each-way value.
Kyprios (left) returns to Ascot for the first time since winning the 2022 Royal Ascot Gold Cup. (Getty)
Race 4 - Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Tips
If this was a fair fight on decent ground, then I would have no hesitation in backing Tahiyra to beat Paddington. As it is, I could see Dermot Weld pulling Tahiyra from the contest as the ground as Ascot continues to soften and I don't fancy backing Paddington at such a short price.
Despite what could prove to be a tricky draw in stall one, ANGEL BLEU (20/1) - who won nicely last time out and loves juicy ground - has to be given a live each-way chance. You'll find my full guide to the 2023 QEII here on our website.
Race 5 - Champion Stakes Tips
With Mostadahf likely to bypass Ascot, we find ourselves with a favourite in Horizon Dore who's yet to even make an appearance in Group One company. King Of Steel doesn't appeal to me at the prices and I can't bring myself to back Bay Bridge, given the shocking season Sir Michael Stoute has had to endure.
At the ante-post stage, I backed Royal Rhyme, expecting his price to shorten considerably once the field cut up. On Thursday, I took a second punt on Pretty Polly winner VIA SISTINA (7/1) - the full reasoning behind this selection can be found in my full guide to the 2023 Champion Stakes.
Race 6 - Balmoral Handicap Tips
Seven of the nine Balmoral winners have returned an SP of 8/1 or shorter, so anyone backed towards the head of the betting before the off has to be respected. One who could come in for such support is AL MUBHIR (12/1), who kept on well to finish third at Listed level last time out.
William Haggas' star ran up to an RPR of 111 when winning on soft ground at Leicester earlier in the season. Al Mubhir also finished fifth in the Lincoln on his reappearance and ran on well to place eighth from well off the pace in the Golden Mile. Tom Marquand's mount does his best work on very soft ground and there could still be some wiggle room in Al Mubhir's mark.
At the ante-post stage, I backed RAADOBARG (16/1), who registered his fifth third-place finish of the season at pattern level in the Darley Stakes last weekend.
Raadobarg has run over eight furlongs four times in Listed and Group Three races this season, twice finishing less than two lengths adrift of Chindit - a Group Two horse - and twice behind Poker Face, who bolted up in a Group Two at Longchamp on Arc weekend. Boughey's charge hasn't run in a handicap since his three-year-old days with Roger Varian, but a mile on soft ground are his ideal conditions and he's classy enough to compete under a heavy weight.
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